Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to a system for assembling washing machines for vehicles in a safe way. The system of the invention uses an assembling system including a structure with hinged elements that are secured by fixing the structure. This system, firstly, does not incur additional costs compared to the current systems for assembling washing machines for vehicles, and secondly, it can be implemented on washing machines of any size, making the system useful both for machines used for washing utility vehicles as well as for industrial vehicles.
Description of Related Art
In the current state of the art, the machines used for washing industrial vehicles have very large structures that are transported in separate pieces and assembled at the washing facilities. The assembling methods currently used for assembling the structure of the washing machine consist of assembling the machine parts at the place where it will be operated by using means for lifting said parts, such as a tow truck or a forklift truck.
This assembling system has the drawback that the operators in charge of assembling the machine have to secure the assembled parts by means of fixing bolts when they are in lifted positions, which entails a risk.
The patent document WO2008031674A1 discloses an assembling system for washing machines for vehicles describing an assembling system in which the washing machine is assembled horizontally and is later lifted by means of a forklift truck. This method is useful for car wash machines of a much smaller size than the gantries used for industrial vehicles. The difference with the method provided is that, in said case, the machine is assembled in a horizontal position and then turned to its working position, which makes the operation of lifting the gantry entail some risks. In any case, the operation involved in lifting the washing gantry prevents the dimensions of the machine from being too large, not only due to the machinery needed to lift the structure but also because of the increased risk of the structure toppling to the ground, putting in danger both the structure and the safety of the workers.
Document DE102004053357 discloses a gantry for washing vehicles that is transported folded in a trailer and is unfolded at the place where the washing gantry is set up. The structure can pivot around its joints by means of hydraulic actuators in order to be erected vertically. It is designed so that the washing gantry can be removed when the washing operations are completed, making it a portable structure that can be easily disassembled. This invention has the drawback of the large investment made on the hydraulic system for assembling and disassembling the structure, which would not be necessary for those facilities that are intended to remain fixed, so that the expenditure would be excessive when they are used only once.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned problems by disclosing a system for assembling washing machines that simplifies the operation of lifting the structure by means of a fixing system that does not incur additional costs and that is not affected by the size of the machine, since it is perfectly valid for washing machines for both industrial and utility vehicles, also being able to make the installation using a forklift truck.